Analysis Of Music Videos No. 3

Overview

Michael Lee Aday (known by his stage name as Meat Loaf) is an American musician, actor and Hard Rock singer. He is most famously known for his 3 Bat out of Hell albums, which have been released throughout the last 30 years and sold a combined total of over 85 million copies.

This song I Would Do Anything for Love (But I won’t Do That), included in Meat Loaf’s second album Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell was written and composed by Jim Steinmann in 1993, and sung by Meat Loaf and Lorraine Crosby, a British singer. It made Number 1 in 28 countries and helped sell 20 million copies of the album, reaching Platinum in less than a year.

The original recorded length of the song was 12 minutes, but this was unacceptable for radio play and so it was cut down to only five minutes. Thankfully, the music video was only shortened to 7 minutes and so this is what I am analysing.

Genre

The genre of the song is Classic Rock, because it keeps to the codes and conventions that Rock songs are know for: amazing length, lots of heavy electric guitar sections combined with drums, singing combined with keyboards or piano sections and solo vocals with lyrics about love and hell.

I know it’s Rock because of the singer- Michael Lee Aday or Meat Loaf; who specialises in Rock and Roll music since he grew up in the ‘Swinging Sixties’ music revolution. All of his 11 albums keep to the Classic Rock genre, with his vocals combined with incredible instrumentals. I can also identify the genre because of who wrote the song: Jim Steinman composed all the songs in Meat Loaf’s albums Bat out of Hell I and II, including this song. He also has a reputation for producing Rock music and so when he and Michael get together, I know that Rock music is going to be made.

The Music Video is also keeping with the Classic Rock genre because of the mise-en-scene and sets featured. Filmed in locations such as graveyards, spooky castles and dark forests give it that look that only rock music can accomplish. This added along with lots of candles, ugly gargoyles and ‘heavenly’ lighting all portray those Rock elements such as heaven and hell and lost love.

Another feature which displays the Rock genre is the use of Motorbikes at the beginning

and end. Big, American Harley Davidson motorbikes were part of the 1960’s music revolution and a symbol of teen rebellion, something which Michael grew up through so he continues that Classic Rock theme by using them in the album artwork and in this music video. The motorbike is a symbol of uprising and Meat loaf displays this because he is fleeing from the police, able to manoeuvre around them and then drive himself and his lover off into the sunset, a classic ending in stereotype rock music.

Music Video

The Music Video is a Performance Narrative- this is because during the narrative which is being played throughout the video, we also see Meat Loaf singing the lyrics while in his performance role as ‘the beast’. Genre conventions that can be identified in this video include the chase scene at the beginning, between Meat Loaf on the motorbike and the police cars and chopper. Rock and Roll music heavily uses themes like rebellion, revolting against ‘The Man’ (Government, Law Enforcement) and this is what is portrayed in this initial part of the video, as we see him evading the police.

It also portrays the convention of a stereotype classic love story ending. At the end of the video’s narrative, the woman has fallen for the monster (much like Beauty and the Beast) and they both ride off into the sunset together, as a romantic couple. Another genre conve

ntion with Meat Loaf that is shown in this video is that he will often perform whilst sitting down. Throughout nearly the entire time we see him singing on screen, he is sitting down on a chair, a lot like his other performances on this album. He is keeping to his own conventions so that audiences can relate between his work and identify him easier. It is also a representation of his character- the crippled monster, who eventually finds his true love and transforms into a human, removing any disability and giving new life.

This music video narrative is related to the lyrics because as the song plays out, Meat Loaf goes through a transition from monster to man. At 6:35 where the monster and woman meet, she doesn’t shy away from his appearance and he has found his true love- connecting with the lyrics “I would do anything for love”. He then changes into a normal man, into what he was meant to be- the true love for her.

Audience

The target audience for this song I believe is the older generations who grew up between 1970 and 1990, or people in their mid-40’s today. This is because the music genre is Rock, a style of music which was born and developed throughout those decades and so teenagers back then would have found this to be cool, and it would be popular. The album would have been targeted to young adults at the time so they would be the target market. However, I also think that younger people today aged 18-25 might be interested in Meat Loaf’s music if they dislike some of the new-wave Pop music of today.

This specific song can also be targeted to a much more varied audience, because it’s not as heavy as the other songs on the album it’s sold with. And because it’s about love and caring, and has a very emotional sound to it, the song can appeal to a very wide audience and anyone who ‘would do anything for love’.

By using the Uses and Gratifications Theory, I can also identify more audiences who this song would appeal to. This can attract to people’s Personal Identity, where they gain insight in how to live and make self-changes according to what media they are exposed to. It can also be for entertainment purposes, to escape from everyday life and find that emotional release which the song’s feelings can produce.

Lyrics

The song starts with a guitar playing distorted sounds of a motorcycle, which represent the male anguish to come later on.

And I would do anything for love,

I'd run right into hell and back,

I would do anything for love,
I'll never lie to you and that’s a fact.

But I'll never forget the way you feel right now
- Oh no - no way - I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that, anything for love,
I would do anything for love, I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that.

Some days it don’t come easy,
Some days it don’t come hard
Some days it don’t come at all,
And these are the days that never end.

Some nights you breathe fire,
Some nights your carved in ice,
Some nights your like nothing I've ever seen before, Or will again.

Maybe I’m crazy, But it's crazy and it's true,
I know you can save me, No one else can save me now but you.

As long as the planets are turning,
As long as the stars are burning,
As long as your dreams are coming true - You better believe it! -

That I would do anything for love,
And I'll be there until the final act -
I would do anything for love!
And I'll take a Vow and Seal a pact -

But I'll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way - Tonight -
I would do anything for love!
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that...

I would do anything for love,
Anything you've been dreaming of,
But I just wont do that...

Some days I pray for Silence,
Some days I pray for Soul,
Some days I just pray to the God of Sex and Drums and Rock 'N' Roll.

Some nights I lose the feeling,
Some nights I lose control,
Some nights I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls.

Maybe I'm lonely, and that’s all I'm qualified to be,
There's just one and only, The one and only promise I can keep.

As long as the wheels are turning,
As long as the fires are burning,
As long as your prayers are coming true - You better believe it - !

That I would do anything for love!
And you know it's true and that’s a fact,
I would do anything for love!
And there'll never be no turning back -

But I'll never do it better than I do it with you,
So long - So long - I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,

But I wont do that, I wont do that!

I would do anything for love,
Anything you've been dreaming of,
But I just wont do that...

But I'll never stop dreaming of you
Every night of my life - No Way -

I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that!

Girl: Will you raise me up?
Will you help me down?
Will you help get me right out of this Godforsaken town?
Will you make it a little less cold?

Boy: I can do that!
I can do that!

Girl: Will you hold me sacred?
Will you hold me tight?
Can you colorize my life I'm so sick of black and white?
Can you make it a little less old?

Boy: I can do that!
I can do that!

Girl: Will you make me some magic, with your own two hands?
Can you build an Emerald city with these grains of sand?
Can you give me something that I can take home?

Boy: I can do that!
I can do that!

Girl: Will you cater to every fantasy that I've got?
Will ya hose me down with holy water - if I get too hot - ?
Will you take me to places that I've never known?

Boy: I can do that!
I can do that!

Girl: After a while you'll forget everything,
It was a brief interlude, and a midsummer night's fling,
And you'll see that it's time to move on.

Boy: I won’t do that!
I wont do that!

Girl : I know the territory - I've been around,
It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down,
And sooner or later you'll be screwing around.

Boy: I won’t do that!
I won’t do that!

Anything for love, I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
But I won’t do that, I wont do that.

I believe that the lyrics match closely to what we are seeing on screen- the first nine lines are like a past reflection, with Meat Loaf outlining what he wants and what he will do for it along with a slow piano accompaniment. This is added along with close-up shots of him singing, (0:45) and a thunderstorm in the background- which reflects the sombre, slow mood of the moment.

The song then ‘explodes’ as the drums and guitar begin, on the word ‘that’ on the ninth line. What we see on screen to go along with this is Meat Loaf on his motorbike smash through a crypt wall, killing two police officers in the process- this all represents the change in pace of the music, and so the camera transitions also speed up to stay level with the beat.

The song lyrics don’t describe exactly what we see on screen, but the video is more of a narrative based on what is said- about a man who wants to find his true love, and a woman who wants to escape her dreary life, as shown in these words-

Man “And you know it's true and that’s a fact, I would do anything for love!”

Woman “Will you help get me right out of this Godforsaken town?”

This is also intertextual to the Rock genre, because many of their music videos would be staged around some sort of love story between two people.

The video also matches with the feeling of the song, whenever it changes pace, tempo or emotion. During Meat Loaf’s slow solos there are lots of candles on display; darkness seems to enshroud his face (3:03) and there is a general dismal and dark appearance to the set and surroundings.

Representation

In this music video, there are 3 groups which are represented throughout. The first is Meat Loaf; he represents the beast/monster, the protagonist who loves a beautiful woman but is hunted down by the police, but eventually finds his true love at the end and transforms into a human. At the beginning he detests his appearance, shown by smashing mirrors because he believes he can never be with her for his hideous features.

He represents how anyone can find their true love, no matter what their appearance is or what they’ve done. This is backed up by the lyrics because when the woman says “You’ll forget everything, you’ll be screwing around” he replies with “I won’t do that” showing how he will always remember her, love her and be faithful.

The next group is the woman, who represents the fairytale ‘Princess’, a beautiful maiden who awaits her rescuer. She wanders around his lair, searching for him while he keeps evading her because of his appearance. It’s not until when the police arrive that the two lovers are united, and she looks beyond his face and sees the true beauty of the man inside. Much like the fairytale story of a princess kissing a frog who turns into a prince, her singing and his replies of “I can do that!” transform the beast into a man, allowing the romantic couple to live happily ever after.

However, despite this video’s deep elements of love, there is still a presence of Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory, since the woman is viewed as a sexual object in some parts. At 4:00 she is seen in the bath, gracefully washing her curves as a display to the cameras. This indicates that the audience will be men, because they want to watch her- she is only a sexual object for men’s pleasure on screen.

The third group are the police, and represent the negative ‘hunters’ who are chasing down Meat Loaf. They are those stereotype evil forces in fairytales: the soldiers who kill the beast (in Beauty and the Beast) and the men who kill the Phantom (in Phantom of the Opera), but in this video Meat Loaf and his lover escape, because the song ends on a happy note so the music video corresponds to what we are hearing. They use guns, cars, helicopters and torches to track him down (to give an elaborate display), and I can also identify the leader- the police Detective, in a suit, tie and glasses who leads the men forward in the hunt for Meat Loaf. He amplifies that evil stereotype in this story because of his facial expression, and as soon as he enters the mansion, the beautiful moment between the lovers is broken, and lots of glass smashes and statues topple (6:25-6:27), displaying how he has come to capture/kill them. However, he is unsuccessful as the couple, with renewed life, ride off into the sunset together as he just manages to catch up with them.

Camera shots, Editing and Lighting

There are many instances in this video that lighting, camera transitions and angles are used to represent something or exaggerate a point. During the chase scene at the very beginning 0:00 until 0:41, there are 48 cuts between shots, each on average lasting less than half a second. The chase begins with an establishing shot, and then features close-ups of the motorcycle rider, the police and the helicopter in order to set out the chase for the audience. Many shots zoom directly into the bike’s front light, filling the screen the motorcycle which then cuts into a different angle, so as to relate the images together. The camera occasionally tilts upwards as well to show the helicopter, which stylishly moves through the air. This is all done to create a very elaborate and action-packed chase scene, which goes in contrast with the footage afterwards of the slow-paced editing when Meat Loaf is singing.

At 3:49, we can see Meat Loaf staring into the mirror at his reflection- done with a close-up of the mirror so the audience can see his face and hand touching the mirror. The lighting behind him is totally pitch-black and so it gives the feeling of his hideousness, since his facial features are amplified in the foreground. The audience will really feel for him in this moment, feeling sorry for his situation and so they will feel even better once he gets his true love and becomes a human.

At 5:50 to 6:25, there is harmony between the monster and the women as they sing together; with her saying what she wants him to do, and him then confirming it. This is seen with extreme close-ups of their facial expressions as they sing, high-angles and pans on the camera as her bed rises into the air; which then cuts to an upward crane shot of him to relate the two shots- and therefore, the couple.

This scene is then broken however, when the police arrive. As they enter the building a gust of wind blows out all the candles and smashes those glass orbs, with the camera at a low angle looking upward at the destruction. This also represents that the evil forces have arrived to hunt down Meat Loaf, and so he must flee with the woman to protect their lives.

Institution

The album that this song was released on (Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell) in 1993 was produced by the Record Label MCA International, standing for Music Corporation America. MCA however is no longer a company anymore, since they went bankrupt in 1998 and were absorbed by Geffen Records, another American Record Label owned by Universal Music Group.

Michael Lee Aday therefore belongs with Universal Studios, a company owned by the French Media Conglomerate Vivendi, who also own ABBA, Aerosmith, Blink 182, Black Eyed Peas, Bob Marley, Bon Jovi, Cheryl Cole, Chris Cornell, Eminem, George Michael, Green Day, U2, Wolfmother and many more. Just like the other two artists I have analysed, there is a huge variety of music and genres here, with some making similar music (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi) and a lot that isn’t, because Vivendi want to control as many different types as possible to maximise their revenue.

Meat Loaf’s most recent album Hang Cool Teddy Bear (released April 2010) features songs sung by Jack Black, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Vai and Brian May from Queen. This shows how he has influenced his work by working together with a lot of other Rock artists, so the new album is a compilation of what everyone wants, as these artists/songwriters affect the outcome of each song.

Intertextuality

This music video is based on a combination of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera. Meat Loaf is the Beast/Phantom who loves a beautiful maiden, and despite his hideous features he manages to obtain her love, while also being hunted down by the police. Much like the Phantom and Beast, he hides away in a dark, candle-lit castle singing about his love but runs away when she comes looking for him. However, this music video ends in a much nicer way then those stories because Meat Loaf gets his girl and they both ride off into the sunset together, whereas in the Phantom and Beast both die.

The Music Video is therefore using these tragic love stories because of their simple narratives and success. Also, because of the song’s lyrics involving a love story between a crazy, lonely man and a woman who desires something different to her boring life, Meat Loaf effectively used these two story plots and has ended with an amazing montage-style music video.